Original scientific paper
Witnessing faith in the family
Zvonko Pažin
; Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, University of Osijek
Karlo Višaticki
orcid.org/0000-0003-4683-4812
; Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, University of Osijek
Abstract
As part of the project “Christian Identity and Quality of Marital and Family Life” the authors investigate the way in which faith
is witnessed in the family. According to Church teaching family is
a “home-Church” and a fundamental unity from which the overall
human and Christian upbringing should spring. According to the
same teaching the essential way of witnessing faith in the family is a
joint Sunday Eucharist, family prayer, talk about faith, and raising
in Christian values. According to our research the respondents show
their faith in the family in a larger number through celebrations of
religious holidays (92, 0%) and through house blessing (84, 8%). It
is a relatively high percentage of those who raise their children in
faith (73, 4%) and who go to Sunday Mass (50, 3%). Compared to
previous times the number of those who talk about God and about
religious topics decreases (46, 9%). The number of respondents who
live their faith outside the family is relatively high (40, 6%), while
the number of those who read the Bible is low (22, 9%) as well as of
those who cherish family prayer (14, 3%). In terms of differentiation one can notice a much higher expression of faith among women
than among men, as well as a more pronounced religious practice
in small places of residence. Therefore, the priorities pointed out by
Church doctrine do not correspond to the priorities of the faithful.
Furthermore, Church should tackle the problem of differentiated
approach regarding the respondents’ sex and place of residence.
Keywords
faith; family; Sunday Eucharist; prayer; religious holidays; Bible; raising children
Hrčak ID:
141339
URI
Publication date:
14.7.2015.
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